1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a high response air angle probe, and more specifically to a high response air angle probe used for testing airflow in a stator vane assembly.
2. Description of the Related Art Including Information Disclosed Under 37 CFR 1.97 and 1.98
In a gas turbine engine, a turbine section includes multiple stages or rows of stator vanes and rotor blades. A stage of stator vanes is located immediately upstream in the flow direction from a stage of rotor blades and function to guide the flow into the rotating blades for maximum efficiency. The stator vane assembly is designed for use in a specific engine with airfoils having a specific shape and angle and with a specific throat area formed between adjacent airfoils to control airflow and pressure.
A new design for a stator vane assembly requires testing of airflow through the vanes in order to determine if a proper design has been produced. Proper airflow testing of a stator vane assembly also requires the testing to be done with an adjacent stage or stages of rotor blades in order to account for the full effect of the airflow passing through the turbine. Airflow testing is required in order to validate the design of a new airfoil stator vane.
Currently, testing of airflow through a stator vane assembly is performed using low flows. Compressed air used for testing is stored in a pressure tank and then released to flow through the vane assembly where the airflow direction can be measured using standard air flow angle probes. This process for testing airflow is limited to low pressures because of the limit in the size and pressure of the compressed air storage tank. In order to test a vane assembly for high volume flows with high pressures, a number of high pressure compressors is required or a very large compressed air storage tank is required. A large tank capable or storing a large volume of compressed air at high pressures would be very cost prohibited, especially for a medium to small size testing facility.